NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has directed the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to constitute a medical board to provide an expert opinion on the medical ineligibility of a candidate who cleared the National Defence Academy (NDA) exam but was declared unfit due to a blood disorder.
The vacation bench of Justice Pratibha M Singh and Rajneesh Kumar Gupta was hearing a petition filed by Shlok Sachin, seeking directions to the Centre, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), and other authorities to admit him into the NDA session starting from July 2.
Sachin challenged letters dated March 18 and May 22 issued by the Air Force Central Medical Establishment, through its commanding officer, which declared him medically unfit for enrolment in the Indian Air Force and the Tri-Services.
In its order dated June 18, the bench noted that Sachin was found unfit after the medical board diagnosed him with haemoglobinopathies (HbE trait), a genetic condition characterised by carrying one gene for normal haemoglobin (HbA) and one for an abnormal haemoglobin called HbE.
Though Sachin secured the 226th rank in the examination, he was declared medically unfit. He appealed against the initial medical board’s decision, but the appeal board rejected his plea on May 22.
“The question that arises in the present petition is whether the petitioner’s condition, i.e., HbE trait, would fall within the eligibility clause regarding medical standards of candidates or not,” the court observed.
The court issued notices to the Centre, UPSC, Air Force Central Medical Establishment, and others, seeking explanations for declaring the petitioner unfit at the next hearing on July 25.
The bench remarked that the appeal board’s decision “provided no clear reasoning” for rejecting Sachin.
“Considering this position, let a medical board be appointed by AIIMS, New Delhi, to give an expert opinion to this court on the candidature of the petitioner, considering the ineligibility clause. The said medical board shall also submit its report by the next date of hearing,” the court ordered.
Sachin was directed to appear before the medical board on June 20.